


Altercation

by cleflink



Category: Lackadaisy Cats
Genre: Arguing, Bar Room Brawl, Gen, Love/Hate, Snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 05:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleflink/pseuds/cleflink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-comic. Atlas calls Mordecai and Viktor into his office to discuss an unfortunate... incident.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Altercation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cosmogyral](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmogyral/gifts).



It was the third time they'd been called into Atlas' office in a fortnight.

"Gentlemen," Atlas said as Mordecai kindly allowed Viktor to open the door for him before striding in. "Rather interesting evening you both had."

"An unfortunate turn of events, I must say." Mordecai waited for Atlas' nod, then settled himself neatly in one of the plush chairs. He brushed a spot of lint off his sleeve. "Made a terrible mess of my suit. I had to send it to the cleaners."

Atlas' smile slanted into rueful amusement. "So I heard. Viktor?" he asked then, ears flicking towards the man. "Any comments?"

"No problems," Viktor rumbled, arms folded across his chest. He never accepted a chair. "Nofink ve couldn't handle, ya?"

"I'm very glad for that Viktor, but that doesn't explain how the pair of you got into a fist fight in the speakeasy of one of our biggest competitors."

Mordecai shot him a narrow look over the rims of his glasses. "We most certainly did not get into a _fist fight_" he declared shortly. "I'm appalled you would believe such ruthless slander, Atlas. Right Viktor?"

Viktor nodded. "It vas more like eh, how you call it? Brawl."

"Not helping, Viktor," Mordecai warned him and Viktor rolled his eyes.

"Vat is it you vould say den? You hit bartender vit table and I break at least four arms - dat is not normal business meetink."

"Well," Mordecai sniffed. "_That_ depends on the type of business one is conducting."

Atlas' indulgent sigh interrupted them before they could start in on each other in earnest. "What interests me most about this unfortunate... altercation, gentlemen, is not the fact that it happened so much as _why_ it happened. I didn't send you there to start a fight."

Mordecai and Viktor looked immediately away from each other, Mordecai's spine stiffly set and Viktor's expression disgruntled. Atlas 'ahhed' softly.

"I see. Dare I ask what you got into an argument about this time that you felt the need to cause wild-scale violence and mayhem as collateral damage?"

"This, this _plebian_ admitted to liking pinstripes!" Mordecai was on his feet in an incensed instant; Atlas leaned smoothly out of the way of a sweeping arm as he gesticulated. "It's absolutely appalling!"__

"Vy is it still you are upset?" Viktor made a face, arms thrown up in the air. "I do not say you must vear the eeh, pinned strips."

"_Wear_ them?" Mordecai drew back, aghast. "Bite your tongue!"

"Very good, gentlemen." Atlas rose from his desk and herded them to the door with the ease of long practice. "Thank you for your time."

"It was our pleasure," Mordecai answered urbanely, never breaking his glaring contest with Viktor and Atlas shut the door behind the pair of them before they could break another lamp. Or the window.

The sound of their bickering followed them down the hall and Atlas could hear the sounds of his other staff members diving out of the way lest they get caught up in the crossfire.

Atlas resettled himself at his desk and poured himself a generous two fingers of whiskey.

Really, he thought as he took a well-deserved swallow, it was a good thing Mordecai and Viktor go on so well together. There wouldn't have been a building left standing in St. Louis if they'd truly disliked each other.

~owari


End file.
